


The Galien Pack Problem

by Thousandsmiles



Series: First Protectors of Beacon Hills. [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: BAMF Talia, F/M, Gen, Other Packs, Pre-Series, Scary strix, Wolfsbane
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-22 00:52:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7411990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thousandsmiles/pseuds/Thousandsmiles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of the Hale pack, when they lived in and protected Beacon Hills. Talia Hale becomes the alpha when she loses both her parents. Soon after, another pack seeks to take advantage of the new, untested alpha to wrest her territory from her. Naturally Talia disagrees with this plan and she's going to make sure the other pack regrets having ever tried.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this story takes place around thirty years before season one.

The double snap happening with seconds of each other had her head snapping up and her lungs gasping for air as her body felt pain akin to shattering into pieces. Her eyes burned. Her body understood before her mind did and she had already sprung up from the floor where she had been playing scrabble with her sister and was heading for the door, tears streaming down her face before she truly comprehended what had happened.

Dead. Both dead.

She had already run halfway across the yard in an unseeing, unhearing fugue before she was caught around the waist and dragged back. Her feet flew off the ground as her considerable speed was checked.

“NOOOO!!!!” she screamed. She set her feet back on the ground and struggled against her captor.

“NOOOO!!” Her arms reaching out, fingers stretching as far they could as she attempted to claw her way forward.

“NOOOOO!!!!” she shrieked. “Noooo!!” She had to get to them! She had to get to them! She had to do something! This could not be happening! It couldn’t!

It couldn’t.

Behind her, holding her in place she could hear her Uncle Kerin saying something to her and weeping as he did so. He tried to drag her back again but she fought him and broke free. And then just collapsed onto the dirt and buried her face on her forearms and screamed as the pain came crashing down on her. She screamed into her arms again and again before dissolving into heartbreaking sobs and smashed the ground with her fists.

Dead. Both dead.

The pain was crippling. She could feel the empty space the snapped bonds had left within her. Feel the raw pain of the rest of the pack as they too felt the loss that flooded through them and consumed them.

It was somewhere in the middle of her jumbled emotions that she finally realized that she wasn’t feeling the others the way she usually did. It was sharper, clearer. She couldn’t just feel them but it was like they were all there breathing next to her. She knew where each and every one of them was. She could feel their different forms of grief, the way they had all felt towards them both. She could feel their power. She could feel the way they were all tied to her in a way they never had before. Feel her power.  Power she never had before. Her eyes burned.

Her sobs choked off and her fingers flexed in the dirt and then she pushed herself upwards and onto her feet in one motion. She stood with her head down breathing heavily as realization of what had happened and of what she had to do flowed through her. And then she breathed in and lifted her head and accepted it all.

Her uncle stood a few feet away from her, his eyes bright, tears still flowing down his face. He looked at her, grief and pain etched on his face and echoing down his bond with her. She stepped towards him and hugged him tightly for a brief moment and then ran to the house.

Her sister, Allie, was on the floor, pinned down by Aunt Laina and Uncle Luke.  The scrabble pieces were scattered all over the living room floor. She was still screaming and sobbing hysterically.

She pulled her and aunt and uncle away from Allie and pulled her up and hugged her tightly. Allie clung to her and sobbed into her shirt. She held her, tears springing back to her eyes as she whispered ‘It’s going to be alright’ over and over again. After a few moments he felt her relatives’ arms go around them both. And then the rest of the house’s occupants came in from the various rooms, still crying, fighting to hold on, and added themselves to the group, until they formed several layers around them with her in the middle.

After a while, she didn’t know how long, time was, at the moment, irrelevant, they broke apart and started pulling themselves together. She let go her sister and turned to the last member of the family that was still crying. Her two year old brother was in her other aunt’s arms and he was screaming his little heart out. He didn’t know what had happened. He didn’t understand what the feeling was and he didn’t know why he was feeling this way. Her heart clenched painfully as she took him from his aunt arms and cradled him in hers.

“Hey,” she said, “Hey, it’ll be okay. It’ll be okay. We’ll be alright. We’ll be okay. I’ll take care of you okay? I’ll take care of you and nothing will hurt you, okay.  You’ll be fine. We all will be.” She rocked the toddler back and forth as she talked. “Listen to me, baby brother. Everything will be alright. Everything will be okay. You will be okay. You’re safe here. You’re safe here. Nothing will happen to you again. Do you hear me? **_Nothing will happen to you again._** ”

Her brother gave a little gasp and then his tears subsided and he buried his face in her chest, clinging to her shirt with his chubby little hands, hiccupping a little. She placed a kiss on his head and then looked up to find that the rest of the family had gathered in a loose semi-circle facing her. She looked at them and they looked at her. And then, as one, they nodded.

_We accept you, it said._

She looked at them, her eyes flaring red and she nodded back.

_I accept you._

Their eyes flared golden, those who could, and then they all swallowed hard as they felt the bonds tightened, tying them to her and she to them, with their acceptance of each other.

There was a moment of silence as everyone took that in and then Uncle Kerin stepped forward.

“The police will be here soon,” he told her, “We can’t look like we knew the news already. They’ll wonder how, if we do.”

She took a deep breath and then let it out and nodded.

“Alright. Alright, yes.” She looked at him. “You’re good at building stories. How do you want us to play this out?”

He looked at her with pain filled eyes but squared his shoulders and began to talk.

 

* * *

 

 

When the knock came on the door, she was sitting on the floor staring at the scrabble board between her and Allie. Her brother was in her lap. Aunt Laina and Uncle Luke were staring blankly at the television and Uncle Kerin was staring blankly at the news paper. But their eyes weren’t red, tear tracks were gone, clothes changed if they warranted a change i.e. those which had gotten torn by fingers or in her case smeared with dirt.

She took a deep breath, handed her brother, Peter, over to Allie, got up and went to answer the door, smoothing her face into a neutral expression.

“Sherriff,” she said, “What brings you to our door?”

The Sheriff of Beacon Hills, with a grave look on his face, said, “Talia Hale, I have come to inform you about the death of your parents.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

The trip to the morgue was a blur filled with dreary off-white rooms, two bodies laid out on tables, faces that didn’t look like theirs, smashed as they were. Car accident they said. Her parents coming back from a trip out of Beacon Hills, had encountered a car coming towards them which had lost control. It was a road along a precipice. Her parents had chosen to steer their car off the edge of the road instead of colliding or forcing the other person to choose to do so, knowing that there was a slight chance they would survive. Only they didn’t. Brave and sacrificing to the end.

Talia had left the funeral arrangements up to her uncles and aunts. They’d know what to do, what to choose.

Then it was back to the house, to begin to prepare. People would be coming over tonight, to express their condolences. At the very least they must have coffee ready for them. The whole house had to search their wardrobes for appropriate black clothes. They all had black clothing of course, but it wasn’t the sort of clothes you wore for the first night of mourning.  She also needed to fortify herself mentally and emotionally to meet all those who would be coming tonight and perhaps tomorrow night. And not only those who would be coming through the front door but those who would be slipping in the back door or lurking in the woods. Her parents had been well respected if not always loved.

But most of all she had to meet with the other pack members who hadn’t been with them when it had happened. She needed to see if she had their acceptance and to give them hers or if they chose not to be in her pack she had to set them free.  She was already exhausted.

She took a deep breath as they finally pulled into the yard, returning from the morgue. She sat in the car and stared at the house for awhile and then opened the door and got out and walked up the stairs. She could tell that that the rest of the pack was already there.  She opened the door and saw the remaining sitting at the table, all in various states of crying but they all looked up when she entered. There was an awkward moment when they eyes locked and then she was being embraced by them all. She could feel their acceptance in the way they hugged her and throbbing down the bond and in return she gave them hers.

There was a sigh of relief that went through the pack as the last of their members agreed to their new alpha. They clung to each other for a few more moments and then Talia pulled away and began to give orders. The pack nodded and scrambled to obey.

 

* * *

 

 

Just after twilight the first of the well wishers began to arrive. The front door was open, two candles were burning on the banisters and in a moment, Talia appeared framed in the doorway. The visitors, their neighbors, got out of their car, and rushed towards her, the old woman wrapping her in her arms saying, “Oh Talia honey, I am so, so, sorry!” And the sincerity in the voice of this lady whom Talia had known since birth almost broke the wall of calm she had put up. But she pulled herself together and said:

“So am I. I am so glad you’re here though. Do come in, it’s too cold for you to be outside for long.”

“Oh, my dear,” quivered Old Mrs. Marcham, “Tonight is not for you to think of me.”

“I would rather do so, though,” Talia told her gently and the old woman’s face melted into more sympathy and understanding. She gave Talia a kiss on her face and then took Uncle Kerin’s arm and allowed him to help her up the porch stairs. Mr. Marcham simply gave her a firm handshake and a firm shoulder squeeze and followed his wife inside.

Talia stood in the yard, hair blowing in the cool evening breeze and thought that the wind had never seemed so biting and cold. Then she felt one on her aunt’s arms slid around her shoulders.

“Hold it together kiddo,” said her aunt Viva, “You’re not alone. We’ll face these masses together…. And everything after that.”

Talia was startled into a smile which turned into a genuine one albeit very wobbly and slid her arm around her aunt’s shoulder. “Yes,” she said, “We will.” And together they stood and waiting for the approaching headlights to reach the house.

 

* * *

 

 

It was about nine o clock at night, and Talia was inside serving coffee and talking to visitors when she heard a familiar voice call out from without the house. She hurriedly handed the tray of coffee to Allie and then rushed out the house and into familiar arms.

He held her tightly, arm wrapped around her while she gripped the lapels of his jacket and buried her head in his chest as the wall of calm she had built up shattered.

He made comforting noises as he rocked her back and forth and she wept into his chest. She didn’t know how long they stood there together, him holding her and her wrapped in a cocoon of shelter she didn’t want to leave. She eventually stopped crying though and then wrapped her arms around him properly and buried her face in his neck and took deep breaths of his scent.

“I came as fast as I could when I heard the news,” he told her and she heard his voice break, could smell his pain and sadness and grief, “Oh my goodness, Talia, I am so sorry. I am so, so, sorry!” He buried his face in her hair and she felt him give in to little sobs of his own.

“I am so sorry,” he said again. “Are, are, will you be okay?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she told him, her voice hoarse, “But I do know I have to be.”

At that statement he pulled away from her so he could see her face. After a few seconds his eyes widened and he gave her a questioning look. She nodded and let her eyes flash red.

“So you’re the alpha now,” he whispered.

“Yes,” she whispered back.

He looked at her for a few more seconds and then nodded his head. “I’m okay with that,” he told her.

“Are you…?” she began but he cut her off.

“Yes,” he told her. “Truth be told, I always expected it but I had thought it would come later.” His face twisted as did hers. “We all thought it would come later.”

He gave her a firm hug and then set his hands on her shoulders and she held onto his wrists. “I am with you,” he told her, holding her eyes with his golden ones, “You have my strength and my love at your back always, my love, my she-wolf.”

She gave him a wobbly smile but a firm nod. “And you have my love and my strength at yours, my Zander,” she whispered back to him.

He drew her to him and kissed her forehead and they stayed like that for awhile again before they broke apart and, fingers twined together, Talia and Zander Seros, her boyfriend, entered the house.

An hour later, Talia and Kerin and George Rimbald, another pack member, slipped away from the house and into to the woods, to greet another preternatural who had known her parents and wished to pay his respects. In truth he owed her parents a debt for his current freedom and was trying to get out of the debt. Talia had to put him in his place and tell him that his debt was to the pack and that as long as there was a pack in Beacon Hills, he would owe them until they called it in. He wasn’t happy but put on a happy enough demeanor and vanished into the night.

The rest of the night was like that, her juggling the preternatural visitors with the natural ones and having to deal with unpleasant ones on both sides. The pack helped her manage both as much as they could and finally the last visitor showed up was easily dispatched at one o’ clock and they could all finally rest for awhile.

Only for awhile though.

Talia was the first to get up and get a candle. Allie followed close after her. One by one they all got candles and lit them. Even Peter was given a small candle to hold. When they all had candles, minus Zander who was not pack, the Beacon Hills Pack made a solemn procession out of the house and through the woods. They finally stopped at the clearing far inside the preserve, where they all gathered to run on the full moon.  There they all assembled in a circle. Zander stood just outside it.

Talia took a deep breath and began the tradition of her pack. “Tonight we gather to acknowledge the passing of our pack members one of whom was also our alpha. We have lost the light that guides us through the night. May there be sorrow in our hearts.” AS one they blew out their candles and then all the wolves shifted and tilted their heads to the sky and howled their loss and sorrow into the sky for all the world to hear, human and wolf voices crying out the same thing.

When the howl finally came to an end, the pack turned to face her and Kerin, the eldest, came forward with a match and relit her candle.

“But tonight we also gather to acknowledge the gaining of a new alpha. We have lost the light that guides us but we have gained a new one to guide us through the nights that come. May this knowledge comfort those who have gone and may there be peace in their hearts.”

He stepped back. “Long live the Alpha!”

“Long live the Alpha!” the pack shouted after him and then the night was alive with howls. Howls that spoke of pride and strength and joy. Howls that spoke of pack.

When they too had finally died down, Kerin looked at Talia and nodded. She inclined her head and turned to start the procession back but then stopped and looked at Allie.

“Allie,” she said, “I may be the alpha of this pack, but I’m not going to lead alone. I can’t. Not without you.”

Allie looked at her and then nodded and picking up Peter, walked forward and grasped the candle underneath Talia’s grip. She looked into Talia’s eyes and gave another, firm nod. Then to their surprise, Peter leaned forward and placed his chubby hand on the candle between both of theirs.  Talia was startled for a moment but then she smiled and together, the three of them led the way back to the house, the pack falling in line behind them with Zander at the end, his presence solid and reassuring behind her.

When they made it back to the house, they placed the candles back into their places and then collapsed in a huddle in the middle of the living room floor and wept their grief until they slept.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The funeral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Teen Wolf.

For Talia, the funeral, for the most part, happened in snapshots.

Waking up.

Dressing in her black and white. 

Dressing Peter.

The drive to the graveyard.

Seeing the elegant, six foot coffins resting next to the hole dug for them.

Standing surrounded by the pack, holding tightly to Allie’s hand and holding Peter on her hip, while the preacher spoke of death and life and of how wonderful her parents were.

Watching as her uncles lowered the coffins into the grave.

It was when Kerin held the shovel out to her that the world finally moved as it usually did. She blinked and reached for the shovel, only realizing then, that her hand was shaking. She hesitated and then took it and stepped forward.

She set the shovel in the dirt and then looked at the two coffins resting in the grave and said, “I’ll take care of them. And I’ll miss you. No one could have asked for better parents. And I’ll miss the days we were all together.  I love you.” Her voice trembled at the end and tears were blurring her vision and her hands weren’t steady but she dug into the dirt, lifted a shovelful and threw it into the grave.

The dirt splattered like blood, like tears, like rays of a smiling sun, over the polished wood and then Talia spun from the grave and gave the shovel to Allie and stepped away.

One by one the pack said their goodbyes and threw in their shovel of dirt. Then the grave diggers came and filled the grave and the whole procession repeated itself, this time bearing flowers. The pack brought red roses for her father’s side of the grave and bronze chrysanthemums for her mother’s side of the grave. Red for the alpha, the golden-bronze color for his most loved beta. Friends and family filled the rest of the space with a variety of colors which suited them both as well.

Talia found it hard to see between the tears filling her eyes.

Finally all the flowers were placed on the grave and the crowd melted away, leaving only the pack behind and then, as the tombstone went up, they too melted away to a distance, leaving the girls and Peter alone.

The three of them stood there staring at the broad white stone that proclaimed their parent’s names and length of life, the triskele carved at the top, signifying not only alpha, beta and omega but also birth, life and finally death.

“Sissy T’ia,” said Peter, breaking the silence.

“Yes Peter?” said Talia.

“When is mommy coming out? I wanna her here.” He looked up at Talia with large hopeful eyes.  Talia looked at him and then she and Allie looked at each other and they felt each other’s heart break.

“Peter,” said Talia gently, her voice hitching, “Mommy is never coming out of the box. She’s gone there to stay. But don’t worry. Allie and I will take care of you alright?”

“But…” he said.

“Hush,” she told him, not trusting herself to speak much. “It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

She knelt down behind him and wrapped her arms around him. “We’ll be okay,” she told him again.

She held out one of her hands to Allie who took it and gripped it tightly. On her other side Zander appeared and rested one of his hands on her shoulders and squeezed reassuringly. Together they all watched the grave and the tombstone before them and the Talia took and deep breath and said firmly, “We will be okay.” And the pack could feel the statement resonate through the bonds.  Knew it for a promise from their alpha.

But all Talia Hale could see were blurred images as she finally let her first tears for the day, fall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First official pack meeting with Talia as alpha.

 

The next Saturday was the first official pack meeting. Pack meetings were mostly a day for the pack to be together and enjoy each other’s company as they didn’t all get to do that throughout the week. It was also to discuss any important news or business regarding the territory or the pack itself. This being the first official pack meeting with Talia as the alpha had special import though Talia doubted it would be much different from a typical pack day.

And so it was, in the cool predawn of Saturday, the pack gathered in the Hale house. Talia and the rest of the Hale-Lecros-Mor family were already up but had wanted for the rest of the pack before they began to make breakfast, because making breakfast together at pack days was a comforting, pack-bonding event. Once everyone had arrived the pancake making, toast making, bacon and egg frying and cake baking, commenced.  They worked around each other in the kitchen talking to and over each other on random topics like weather, baseball, curtains, fashion, school and occasionally someone would shout at Peter to please stop eating the cake and pancake batter and no, raw egg is not for little boys to have even if he is a werewolf.

Once breakfast was made, the pack transferred the delicious platters of food over to the dining room and they all settled around it and dug in. Talia settled into her father’s spot at the head of the table and ate in silence, occasionally smiling when someone said something hilarious and was glad inside that the pack was recovering from the loss. She let the conversation flow around her as she studied each of the pack members gathered around the table.

On her right and left hand were Allie and Peter.  Past Allie on her right hand was her Uncle Kerin and his wife Mara. Kerin was her father’s younger brother and he was a doctor at Beacon hills Memorial Hospital .Mara was a human and she was a mortician at the hospital. Past Peter were her aunts Viva Lecros and Laina Lecros-Mor. Viva and Laina were her mother’s younger sisters and both were werewolves. They both were beauticians and had their own store. Next to Laina was her husband Luke Mor. Luke was human and he was very good lawyer.  After Luke was his and Laina’s two children Jara and Terry ages 16 and 12 respectively. Both were students a Beacon Hills High school. Jara was a wolf, Terry was not.

 Past Mara was Asha Carmit and George Rimbald. Asha was a 35 year old baker and owned her own bakery and baked the best of everything as far as everyone was concerned. George was 30 years and he worked as a mechanic.

Next to Terry was Terrin Cade and Elliot Tares. Terrin was 18, a senior at high school and also a former runway. He had ran away from home after being bit by an alpha against his will. He had wandered into Beacon Hills intending only to stay a night in the forest and be on his way out but instead had been found by Talia’s father. After a good deal of talking and some pulling of strings, Terrin agreed to be adopted by a pack member and entered the pack.

Elliot Tares was 25, handsome and hilarious, and was a radio announcer. He had come to Beacon Hills for the job. On his third day, when he was coming home after a late night shift, he fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into a tree not far from their house.  Hearing the noise the Hales had sailed out the house to investigate. What they found was a dying and barely conscious radio announcer. Since they had nothing to lose and the pack all agreed he played good music and had a nice voice, they offered the dying Elliot the bite. He accepted and happily the bite took.

Seated after George was Listra Hamil. Listra was 40 and an elementary school teacher. She was well known having the best disciplined classes. She was also Terrin’s foster mother and she took good care of him. She also helped many of the younger pack members with various level of homework.

And that was the Hale Pack.

After they had devoured breakfast and put away the dishes, the pack resettled around the table.

“Alright,” said Talia, “In pack business first. Anyone has anything we need to discuss?”

Kerin nodded. “Do you want custody of Peter? The authorities want to put him in the care of myself or Laina.”

Talia nodded. “Yes,” she said, “I want Peter under my custody. Is that going to be a problem?”

“I’m not sure,” said Kerin, “They may make a fuss but you are a legal adult.”

“Would they make less of a fuss if you are also placed as caretakers or something?”

“Yes,” said Luke speaking up. “We can do something like that. You will have full custody but Kerin or Laina can also be stipulated as legal caretakers. I can draw up the documents if you want.”

“Yes, please,” Talia told him.

“I’ll get on that,” he said.

Talia nodded and then said, “Anything else?”

“I believe you’ll have to speak to some of the insurance agents but your parents life insurance will go to you and Allie and Peter equally. Their will is handled by my firm and everything is settled with that already.”

Talia swallowed hard and nodded.

“Is that it?” she said after a moment. There was a pause whilst everyone thought for a moment to see if they had forgotten anything to add. After a while though they all shook their heads.

“Alright,” she said, “To territory business then.”

“So far, no one’s sniffed at our boundaries,” said George, “But I get the feeling that that won’t last.”

“No,” said Viva, “It won’t.” She looked at Kerin who looked at Talia and nodded.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on the packs closest to us. Three of ‘em are holding steady but the fourth, the Galien Pack, are showing up on our shared northern boundary.”

Talia frowned. “Keep watching them,” she said.

“Remember though that there are a couple of roving bands of betas around who may decide to take a chance on a new alpha and see if one of them gets lucky,” George cautioned her.

Talia nodded. Beside her Allie stirred and asked “What about hunters?”

“No hunters in Beacon County,” Elliot replied promptly.

“What about those under our suffrage?” asked Talia, “How are they reacting to the change?”

Werewolves weren’t the only preternatural creatures in Beacon Hills. However the Hale pack was the ruling preternatural in Beacon Hills. They held the territory and they protected it. Any other preternatural who lived there, lived there with their permission and played by their rules. However if any of them needed or wanted help, the Hale Pack was obligated to help them.  If any of them broke the rules the pack had set, the pack was obligated to stop them and punish them. Of course, there were a lot of things that did live in Beacon Hills that the Hale pack had no idea were there. It was something Talia’s father had often cautioned them about.

“Most are watching and waiting,” said Elliot, “A couple of them want to see you but no one seems like they’ll be staging a rebellion anytime soon.”

“Good,” said Talia, “I think we can live with that. Give me a list of the ones who want to see me and I’ll see what I can do.”

“You won’t go alone,” said Allie.

“Of course not,” said Talia smiling at Allie, “I know that at least.”

Allie smiled back, “I should hope so!”

Talia gave her a mocking frown and then said, “Anything else we need to discuss?”

“We will need to patrol soon. A proper one,” said Laina, “Not just for Beacon Hills but for Beacon County. The preternatural need to see us.”

“Agreed,” said Talia, “And not just for them to see us but I think I need to see over the rest of my territory again, as an alpha.”

Kerin nodded. “Your father did the same thing,” he told her. Talia swallowed hard at the reminder and nodded.

“Anyone has anything to add?”

“The cake is beginning to burn,” said Elliot.

Asha yelped and went to save the cake.

Talia’s lip twitched and she said, “I think that is it for today. Full moon’s in a week time. We’ll meet in the usual spot. We can do the patrol for Beacon Hills next week Tuesday. My classes at the university end early that day.”

Everyone nodded and then simultaneously took deep breaths as the delicious scent of chocolate cake wafted from the kitchen.

“Asha!” called Talia, “Serve the cake!” she commanded.

Terrin let out a snort and said, “You heard the Alpha!” and suddenly everyone was laughing. A little hysterical, a little brokenly, but also happily. Because commands like that, commands without blood, and death, meant things were okay. It meant they as a pack, were healthy. Hurting but healthy. And that they’d be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of the pack?


	5. Chapter 5

 Tuesday evening found Talia and several of her pack gathered together. With her were Allie, Kerin, Viva Luke, Elliot, George and Terrin. They got into two cars and headed north to the top of their territory, figuring to make a clockwise sweep and then go home. They had also decided that Talia would meet with the preternatural who had wanted to see her, today as well.

Kerrin drove while Talia rode shotgun. She let down the window and closed her eyes while they drove, focusing on her connection to her territory. After a moment she felt it. Like multiple lines extending from her and attaching to every part of her territory, like nerves, that sent back many, many messages back to her and forming a map, making the territory a part of her. But as they traveled, she understood why she had wanted to see over her territory.  It was like an imaginary line being drawn along the path they travelled and as that line, as she, came into contact with parts of the map formed inside her, those parts lit up and became active. And Talia suddenly realized that the connection she had had with her territory was but a merest fraction of what a true connection was. It was like watching something 2D turn 3D. She stiffened as stimuli suddenly flooded her mind and her claws came out and dug into the seat.

“Talia!” she heard Kerin exclaim. She shut him out as she battled to control her link with her territory. She grappled with it trying to stem the flow but not wanting to because she needed to know these things. She growled and dug her claws in harder and her eyes burned. Then it hit her. She was fighting this as a beta. But she was an alpha. She was the alpha of Beacon Hills. She let her alpha power burn thought the connection with her territory and gripped control of her territory in a firm clawed hand.  The information overload suddenly stopped, organized itself and then information began to pour itself back but it in no way overpowered her.

She opened her eyes and let out a sigh and then realized that the car had pulled over and stopped. She looked around to find three concerned werewolves staring at her, all of them fighting for control. She gave them a shaky smile and said, “I guess Dad got the hang of that faster than I did.” They let out a sigh of relief, signaled to the other car that all was well and pulled back onto the road.

As they continued on the road, Talia felt parts of her territory light up inside her mind as she passed them and information began flooding in. As they neared the northern boundary she felt that too, a sensitive barrier between what she knew and what she didn’t. 

“There’s a strix that wants to see you. Lives in the woods next to the pig farm. Remember him?” Kerin asked.

Talia nodded. “The farmer there turns a blind eye to missing pigs right?”

“Yep.”

Talia closed her eyes and focused on the part of her territory closest to the northern boundary. She searched through it and then there! She felt it. That bubble of preternatural energy that demarked where the strix had marked out his territory and the concentrated core of energy that was the strix itself.

Soon enough they pulled up next to the pig farm and parked. Talia got out and wrinkled her nose at the scent.

“This is terrible,” said Allie.

“This is why I only came here once,” Talia told her.

Terrin got out of the other car and instantly pulled his t-shirt to cover his nose.

“That’s disgusting!” he said.

“Fresh pork!” said Elliot brightly, even while grimacing.

Werewolf noses were highly overrated sometimes.

The farmer came out to see who it was. Kerin waved at him and he nodded and went back inside. He turned a blind eye to them too.

Viva led the way around the farm and into the woods on the other side. Once there though Talia took the lead. She remembered some of the way from her previous visit but she could also tell where the strix was and so lead them to it. When she came to the very edge of its territory she stopped.

_“Come closer, little alpha.”_ It was not quite speech, it certainly was a screech. Talia wasn’t sure if it was coming to her mentally or verbally.

Talia walked boldy forward two steps and then waited for Allie to step in front of her. When she did so, Talia told her quietly, “Walk forward fifty paces.”

Allie did so with Talia behind her.

There was a screechy, rasping laugh. Talia and the others raised their heads to see the enormous creature perched in the branches in a huge tree. It shifted its black wings and raised its head blinking rapidly against the light. Strixs were nocturnal, preternatural birds that ate humans but preferred pork as a good second.

Then it flapped its wings and descended to the floor and shuffled past Allie who tensed but didn’t move and came straight up to Talia. Talia faced it calmly. It bent its head so that it could watched her directly in the eyes. Its coal black eyes was rimed by a glowing purple ring. Talia let the red well up in her eyes and so they faced each other.  In its eyes were terrible things. Terrible images of death. Of humans and preternatural dying alike, pierced by that long wicked beak and ripped apart by its talons. She could hear its screeching, rasping laughter as it drank their blood and ate their flesh. Hear them scream and beg for mercy denied them. She watched what was hundreds of years worth of imagery and knew that the strix only obeyed their rule of not eating humans because it wanted to at the moment. She did not flinch. When the images stopped Talia kept looking into its eyes and said:

“Watch and remember the colour of my eyes, because the colour of your blood would not be half as red if you ever break any of my rules.”

The strix stared at her a moment more and then laughed.

“You are strong, alpha,” it rasped and then it leaned forward and used its beak to tear off a long strip of skin from her collar bone. It threw its head back and ate it with obvious relish.

“Flesh and blood of the alpha. I am content with your flesh and blood, alpha.” With that it lifted its wings and flew back to its tree and nestled its head back under its wing.

She turned and walked away from it with Allie at her back and then the whole pack surrounded her and they all walked back to the car. When they reached it Talia let out a small sigh of relief.

“Well,” said Elliot, “That’s one happy customer.”

Talia laughed suddenly and asked, “How much to go?”

“You don’t want to know,” Kerin told her, “So let’s get this show back on the road.”

Five stops later, it was almost twilight and they were in the southern part of their territory, and hitting the woods on that side of Beacon Hills. Here they were just letting Talia wander about the woods because she needed to see it for herself. It worked better that way, she had found and it worked better when she was alone. After about an hour of walking Talia finally came to the edge of her territory. She walked up to the very edge of it and took in the feeling and memorized it. She had just finished doing that when she heard movement. Her eyes snapped open and she saw the first beta running up to her. She felt a sort of flash when they crossed into her territory. There was no time to do anything but prepare to attack.

The first one swiped at her but she dodged aside and spun and kicked him. She grabbed the arm of the one that had come up on her other side and used her other hand to swipe a nasty gash along the female beta’s stomach. She gasped and folded. Talia turned in time to duck and slam the heel of her hand into the first one’s sternum. He flew back and she was sure she heard bone crack She winced. She wasn’t quite comfortable in her alpha strength. The third one knocked her off her feet and onto the ground. He was huge. They struggled and then he bit into her shoulder. She roared and pushed at his shoulders, pain giving her strength. She got enough space to bring up her foot and rest it on his stomach and then she kicked him away. He went flying. The female attacked again and Talia grabbed her arm once more, yanked her forward and past her, hooked one of her legs around her legs and pushed on her back. The arm was instantly dislocated. She roared and fell forward. Two new betas appeared. One more woman and another man. They both rushed forward and would have probably done her damage but the man was tackled from the side by Kerin and George knocked the woman off stride. Elliot and Viva joined the fray and Allie and Terrin surrounded her. But it was unnecessary. The pack of betas were done for. They got up and held their hands up as they backed away and finally ran out of her territory.

Talia was instantly surrounded by concerned pack mates.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she soothed. “I’m already healed. They didn’t do anything permanent.”

“We are never letting you out of our sight again,” Allie told her and everybody agreed.

Talia smiled, “Honestly that doesn’t sound too bad right now.”

“Humph!” said Viva and then turned and led the way to the car. “We are going home now Talia,” she said sternly and Talia could sense the agreement from the others.

“No,” said Talia equally firmly, “We’re finishing this. We have to. I have to. One tussle with a beta pack isn’t going to stop me. It can’t stop me, Aunt Viva because life is going to throw harder things at me, at us. I’ve faced worse as a beta. I can handle myself as an alpha.”

There was a tense pause and then Viva sighed and nodded. “Alright but we’re sticking with you.”

“Agreed,” said Talia. “I don’t want to be by myself anyway.”

“Good,” said Allie, “Because if you didn’t want to we’d make you change your mind.” Her smile was all wolf.

Talia laughed. “That’s why I love you, Allie,” she said, “Your skills of compromise are second to none.”

“Yes,” Allie agreed as she slung an arm around Talia’s shoulder and they continued so until they reached the cars.

Late at night they returned home tired and dirty from the rest of the uneventful patrol. They just ate showered and collapsed in an exhausted pile.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a little more than a week after the patrol that trouble parked itself on their doorstep. It was a Saturday morning and the pack was in the backyard training with each other. Elliot was the only one missing because he had a morning shift on the radio but they had the radio on so they could hear his voice whenever he commented between songs. He also often played songs that were upbeat because he knew the pack were training and appreciated it.

Talia had just stepped into the sparring ring with Viva however, when she stiffened and stopped. After a moment she sort of shook herself and said, "An alpha and escort just crossed into our territory from the northern boundary. It's Galien and some of his pack. It's not an attack, I don't think, he is not hiding from me and he is letting me know his pack is here. Just…saying hello."

"What do you want us to do?" asked Allie.

"For now," said Talia, "Just train."

The others just nodded and continued but they were all on edge now, preparing themselves for the confrontation to come.

Forty-five minutes later Talia called a halt. The pack stopped, drank some water and cooled off for a bit then Talia led them around to the front of the house and then critically studied the porch.

"Alright," she said after a moment, "we want to stage this right. So all the humans I want you armed and to the back of the porch but keep your weapons out of sight. Laina you take Peter and keep him back from the front but not out of sight. We are not afraid of them. The rest of you all…" Ten minutes later, after much prodding and shifting the stage was set. Talia took her place and just bare minutes after that several vehicles rolled up into their front yard.

The doors opened and people got out, seven in all. One of them was a man about 38, dressed in jeans and black shirt and shades which he took off as he surveyed the scene before him.

Sitting on the steps leading to the porch was Talia. On either side on her, sitting on the railings were Allie and Viva. Standing at the top of the stairs, lounging on either side were Kerin and George. The rest of the werewolves were leaning on the banister of the porch spread out along it while the humans lounged behind them, leaning on the walls of the house. Liana stood behind and a little off to the side of Kerin with Peter in her arms.

"Talia," said the man, the alpha.

"Markus," she replied coolly, "What a surprise, to see you here."

Markus once more surveyed the scene and said, "I didn't mean to drop by so unexpectedly but I thought I'd come over and see you. I didn't get to come to pay my respects myself but I did send a representative."

"Yes," said Talia, "I know. He was most kind." The representative had come on the night her parents died with a message to say that they were sorry for her loss. They had failed, as customary, to say that they recognized her as the new alpha of the territory. It hadn't been a cause for alarm as some packs did that at a later date. There hadn't been any other alphas who had come to do that personally but she had gotten four letters carried by representatives, which stated that their packs recognized her as the alpha for that territory.

"I'm glad you think so. I'd hate for you to think me unkind," he said in reply.

"I'd hate for you to do anything that would prove that you were," she said smoothly in return.

He gave a short laugh. "Come now," he said, "I only want to be friends. I know dealing with becoming alpha can be quite a traumatic experience in itself not counting the pain related to why you are the alpha. I can help you adjust, teach you what you need to know."

Talia smiled. "That's very generous of you," she said, "however I have a good support group here in the form of my pack and they are helping me to adjust quite nicely. As for everything else I seem to be picking it up fine."

"Well I'm glad of that," he said, "Do let me know if you are running into any problems though or if the territory is too much for you to handle because I can sense you are not the equal of your previous alpha. And some of our world, well," he gave a smile. It wasn't a very nice smile. "when they sense weakness they seek to devour what they can."

Talia could feel the tension and anger zapping through her pack at his words but she forced herself to remain pleasant and said, "I'm aware. However those that attempt to do so should make sure that there is a weakness to exploit. Or else, they might just find themselves being devoured instead." She smiled at him and it was all wolf, all alpha.

"Well," he said, his eyes flicking over her pack, "I see you have it well in hand. I hope you have it as well in claw also."

"I'm sure," said Talia.

"I'm not," he replied simply, his manner shifting abruptly. "This territory needs a stronger alpha than you are Ms. Hale. And I think, looking at what you call a pack there, that you don't have enough claws to defend it."

Talia, tilted her head, "Oh?" She smiled and her smiled became a laugh. "Claws and fangs aren't the only dangerous things out there, Markus." At that every human member of the pack removed their guns from hiding and aimed them in shocking crack of weaponry.

Markus' eyes narrowed and glowed and his jaw tightened. "Consider this a declaration of war, Hale," he said, "Prepare to lose your territory."

Talia gave him her sweetest smile and said, "Considered and accepted. But this territory will remain mine long after you've lost yours."

* * *

"Okay," said Talia, as they hastily gathered around the kitchen table, "We have a problem."

"The Galien Pack Problem," said, Allie promptly labeling it.

"Right," said Talia. She tuned to Kerin, "Markus has a grudge with this pack because of that incident with the betas right?"

"Yes," said Kerin.

"What incident with what betas?" asked Jara.

"Quite a few years back, some of Markus' betas wanted to leave his pack but he didn't want them too," said George.

"But Jared made him let them go," said Luke. "It was quite the confrontation," he added, "No blood but a lot of staring and heated words."

"From what I heard," said Talia, because she was very young at the time and hadn't been allowed to go out with the rest of the pack, "The betas got away from Markus and ran to my father for protection. They said he was treating them harshly because they didn't agree with some of his decisions. I think it came to a head when one of them wouldn't kill another preternatural when Markus ordered him to but incapacitated him instead."

"A wendigo," said George, "He wouldn't kill a wendigo. It was a group of teenage wendigos, oldest was fifteen. Lost their caretakers somehow and were running across territories feeding when they wanted. They were killing but you know how the younger ones get when there is no one older to tamper down their hunger. The beta didn't want to kill him, it was the oldest, a boy, because he figured that they'd be alright if they got caretakers again. Markus just wanted them dead though."

"Did Markus kill the wendigos?" asked Jara.

"Yes," said Kerrin. "It was also another reason why Jared was mad, though he couldn't do anything about it because it was Markus' territory."

"However when his pack members came to us and appealed to us, my father as another alpha, was within his rights to tell Markus to let the betas go," Talia said. "As you can gather his pack is pretty ruthless. There are a lot of blue eyes in that pack."

"I'm actually hard-pressed to think of one that's not," said Luke.

"Great," muttered Allie.

Talia agreed. Their world was violent it was true but it didn't have to cross the line into deadly if handled correctly. Out of their pack of fifteen there were only three set of blue eyes among the wolves, Kerin, George and Viva. Luke was the only human with kills under his belt as well. And they all had only killed if absolutely necessary.

Markus' pack, she knew numbered twenty four gown wolves, most, if not all of whom were killers. Her pack were outnumbered by nine wolves and out of their fifteen, three were children, Terrin was barely an adult, there were three humans who, no matter what she said to Markus were still more vulnerable than the wolves because one well placed blow to them and they'd be dead.

Her pack was a strong one though. She knew this. She had seen them take on groups larger than them and sometimes more powerful and take them down. She had participated in that quite often. Her parents had often stressed the need to be the smarter opponent.

"Fight smarter," her mother had often said, "especially when your opponent is stronger than you and doubly smart when they're not," and another one of her sayings was, "Cunning is using an opponent's strength against them, intelligence is using both your strength and their strength against them so long as one your strengths is intelligence," then she used to add with a crooked smile, "Don't try that if you're stupid."

But besides being a smart pack, her pack was a well trained one and they were tightly knit. They knew how to share strength among each other and how to play off on each other's individual strengths. Talia let out a breath. They could do this. They could. And they could do it without loss of members. That they would do.

"Okay," she said, "Anyone who has to leave the territory for some reason or another, goes with two others. Within the territory we go in pairs. I won't be able to give warning if his pack crosses over because they aren't beholden to me so I can't sense them, the most I might get is a flash and Markus can probably hide that. So be on guard and get to the nearest pack member if I alert you. Alphas can hide from each other so Markus can get onto our territory without me knowing so again, watch yourselves. I think that's all we can do for now."

The others nodded and voiced their agreement and instantly began to work out the semantics of the plan. When everyone's schedule had been arranged they presented it to her. She looked it over and said:

"Okay, I think that'll work."

"What'll work?" asked Elliot as he came through the front door, having gotten off his shift. He looked around at his fellow pack mates. "What did I miss?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Half a day," Elliot groaned. It was Monday and he was driving Talia and Allie to college. He was still miffed about missing the confrontation. "I leave you all for half a day and you start a pack war."

"A territory skirmish," corrected Talia absently, reading the material they were going to do that morning in class.

"I'm pretty sure pack war is what it is," said Elliot.

"Pack war is usually used when there are more than two packs involved and territory is usually not all they are fighting for. It may not even come into the equation," Talia told him, still absently.

"Werewolf Thesaurus," muttered Elliot under his breath.

At that she smiled and looked up at him. "Really?"

"Are you going to try and say you're not?" he countered but he was laughing now.

"Yes," she said resolutely but laughed anyway. Then they pulled up at their destination.

"Allie wake up," said Talia, "We're here."

Allie jumped up from where she had been napping in the backseat.

"What? What? Oh." She grabbed her back and slid out of the car. "Bye Elliot!"

"Bye!" he told them.

He pulled away from the curb and drove off.

The girls stared at up at their school building.

"You know," said Allie, "I keep expecting it to stop being surreal that I have to go to school when there is something trying to kill us but it never does."

Talia sighed, "I know what you mean. I mean you stare at the teacher in economics and wonder if sometimes you can't just ask them 'Do you know what is going in my life right now? I don't need to know this.'"

Allie laughed. "I wanted to do that sooo many times." They both sighed.

"School?" asked Talia.

"Lead the way," said Allie and they both walked into the campus.

* * *

Things were quiet for a few days. The whole pack was on edge but there was nothing they could do but wait for Galien to make his move. When it did come however it didn't come in the way that they expected. Talia was sitting in the library doing research for one of her classes when it happened. She sat up straight as she felt the flash in the senses.

"What is it?" asked Allie, who was with her.

"A wolf just crossed over into our territory," Talia told her. She was already sending a signal to the rest of the pack. "It came over from the northern boundary. It must be one of Galien's pack."

"Can you tell where he is?" asked Allie.

Talia shook her head. "He isn't beholden to me so I don't know where he is. I just got a flash when he or she crossed over."

Allie began to pack up their stuff and grabbed the books they were using to check them out.

"Come on," she said, "Luke will be here soon."

Talia nodded and helped her. They got their books checked out and headed outside to wait for Luke with whom pickup was arranged if one of the other pack came across.

Luke pulled up a few minutes later and they jumped into the car and headed to the Hale house. All who could reach there without garnering suspicion would do so. The others would group together somewhere else. Most likely the other pack would try to get them alone and try to ambush them and they wanted to make that as hard as possible to do.

They made it safely to the Hale house and waited to see what the unknown wolf would do. They waited and waited and nothing happened. Talia was getting antsy because either he attacked or they would be forced to go looking for him and she didn't want to do that, not yet. When it finally seemed like that was what they had to do, Talia opened her mouth to order the search and then promptly gasped in pain.

The others rushed to her, confused because they couldn't feel what was happening, which meant it wasn't any of the pack which had gotten hurt. Talia straightened up a moment later and spat out, "Banshee!"

"He attacked a banshee?" asked Luke.

Talia nodded and said, "We have to get to her!"

The others didn't waste time arguing. They piled into the cars and Talia directed them to the where the hurt Banshee lay on the ground, just behind her house, bleeding profusely. Luke and Mara quickly applied pressure on the wounds while Jara sprinted inside to find the telephone and called for help. Kerrin stayed behind to guard them.

Talia, Ally, and Viva were scenting the air for trails. Viva found the trail first and they set off after the wolf but of course he was long gone. They followed anyway until the scent came to stop where he most likely had gotten into a car. A few minutes later Talia felt the flash as the offending wolf crossed back over the territory line on his way to his own territory.

She let out a frustrated growl and said, "He's already back home!" Viva and All added their own growls of frustration and went back to the house where help had arrived for the poor banshee, Crystal May.

The ambulance bundled Crystal into the back of it and carried her away to the hospital whilst the pack had to stay behind and explain to the sheriff's department how they had happened to be there. Talia let Kerrin do the talking again and added what little she could when interviewed and finally they were allowed to leave and go home.

Talia stayed silent for the drive back fighting to keep the rage bubbling inside her under check. Judging by the silence of the pack around her, she wasn't very successful. When they finally returned to the house, she practically shot out the car, ignored the newly arrived members of the back and headed straight for the trees behind the house. By the time she reached them, her eyes were glowing red and she was on the verge of transforming. She punched the nearest tree very hard.

Bark cracked, the tree shook but it stayed upright. She roared and leaves came tumbling down. "This fight was between us!" She yelled into the evening light.

"Talia, you can't blame yourself…" began Kerrin's voice.

"Yes, I can!" she snapped, "Because we were safe and they weren't and we didn't even think to warn them because we assumed he would play fair when we know he doesn't! This was our fault! This was my fault! If I cannot protect those under my protection, what kind of alpha am I?"

"You're a learning one!" interjected Luke, "We all are learning right now and we're vulnerable for it but now we know. Now we can plan accordingly. We lost once. We won't lose again. You know you won't let it happen. You know we won't let it happen either." He held out his hands to her, "Yes, it's going to be a steep learning curve," he said more gently, "But," he added looking around the pack, "I think we're all quick studies."

Talia stared at him, an alpha considering her beta, weighing his words, measuring his weight…and then slid her hands over his. "I'll take that as a promise," she said, "And one I'll make myself."

"Agreed," said Luke and the rest of the pack added their promises after him.

She slid her hands out of his and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and then opened them and said, "Alright, we have a lot of work ahead of us. So let's pick up the pace."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talia talks to Crystal May and Galien.

* * *

Monitors beeped and lights flashed. Talia hated the antiseptic smell of the hospital. She could never quite get used to it. But at the moment her senses had something else to focus on, namely the wakening banshee lying on the bed.

After a few long moments, Crystal May's eyes fluttered opened. She blinked a few times clearly shaking off the throes of sedation and then frowned as she tried to understand where she was.

"The hospital," said Talia.

Crystal startled a little and then turned her head to face her.

"Water?" asked Talia and the banshee nodded. Talia filled a glass and inserted a straw and held it to Crystal's lips. Crystal drank and then said shakily, "You must be Talia."

Talia gave a little smile. "Yes," she said.

"Thank you for coming for me," Crystal told her.

Talia shook her head. "If it wasn't for my poor planning you wouldn't even be here. I'm sorry."

Crystal made a motion that might have been a shrug. "Everyone makes mistakes," she rasped, "I'm just glad to be alive." She swallowed. "Do me a favour though and get that bastard will you?"

"Done," said Talia.

"Good," said Crystal, "He's the tall one with yellow-blond hair and a really terrible evil laugh."

Talia felt her lips twitch at the description but said, "Thank you."

"So what did the doctors say about me?" asked Crystal.

"You'll make it," she said, "They had to sew up your insides quite a bit but you'll make it."

"I'm okay with that," said Crystal. She blinked sleepily, "I think I'm going to fall back asleep now though alpha. Nice to meet you." Her eyes closed and she fast asleep in a matter of seconds.

"Nice to meet you too Crystal May," said Talia Hale.

* * *

Luke was waiting for her when she stepped out of the room.

"You good" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, "I'm good."

"She okay?" he asked tipping his head towards the room.

"She will be," said Talia, "She asked me to get the one who attacked her though. A favour."

"Did you tell her that it would be gladly granted?" he said raising an eyebrow in amusement.

"I told her it was done," Talia said.

"Good," said Luke.

Talia smiled. "She said it was the one with yellow hair and a really terrible evil laugh."

Luke grinned. "I actually know who that is."

Talia's eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"Really," he said, "You can't mistake that laugh and I'm not even kidding."

Talia huffed out a laugh. "Well let's pay back that favour fast shall we?"

Luke smiled and it was all wolf. "Sure. After all it's just a little favour."

* * *

Late in the evening Galien called Talia.

"Talia Hale," he said.

"Galien" she said her voice shaking with rage and under it failure and doubt.

"How was your week?" he asked cordially.

"Could have been better," she said, trying not to bite off the words entirely.

"Ahh, yes." He said, "Another casket in the ground so soon. And this one actually your fault."

Talia let out a sound of pain but choked it off quickly. "I'm not the one who sent someone to kill that girl."

"You did fail to protect her," he pointed out.

"That's true," said Talia after a moment, voice shaking, "But really Galien, how could you expect me to believe that you were such a coward? You really showed ne propensity for it before." She shook her head knowing he couldn't she her but knowing he would interpret the pause correctly. "Ahh, the low people sink to for power. But I have a question for you Galien, Alpha. How in the hell do you expect to hold my territory if you don't even have the courage and I'm inferring, the strength to walk up to me face to face?"

She paused to let him say something but he was apparently suffering too much from incandescent rage for him to say something.

"You may have won this battle, you aren't going to win anymore," she told him voice hard.

"Are you sure?" he asked, "You're sitting snug at home again." And then he hung up.

* * *

Talia stared at the receiver for a moment and then put it down. "How did I do?" she asked.

"Good," said Kerrin, "You could have had me fooled."

Allie slid her claws from Talia's arm where they'd been digging into her since the start of the conversation to make Talia's heart beat faster to give the illusion that she was scared. It had also helped to make that gasp of pain real.

Talia shook her arm and watched it heal. "He baited me," she said, "again. Made it sound like he was coming back into my territory to hurt someone today. He wanted me to panic."

"Great," said Viva and grinned, "So let's panic."

Talia grinned at her.

"Oh," she said in afterthought, "He thinks Crystal May is dead."

"Cool," said Elliot, "Can you imagine how much fun it's going to be when we disabuse him of that notion?"

"Oh delirious," said Terrin.

Talia grinned fiercely at them and her eyes flared red.

"Come on." She said, "We have to go panic!" Her relish was obvious.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment please!


End file.
